The second beer on tap (well, not really on-tap) for New Year’s was St. Rogue Red.

It has a very nice deep red color with plenty of hops.

This was a really good beer to close out the year with.

Rating: 4 out 5

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Review Submitted By: Scott Watermasysk

Rusted River Irish Red Ale, from Rust Belt Brewing Company in Youngstown, Ohio, is dedicated to the steel mills and steel workers that built the area. The artwork on the bottle is beautiful. Unfortunately for any homebrewers it seems like it is affixed to the bottle with something like cement combined with super glue. It’s a nice session beer at 5.5% ABV. It is tasty, well-balanced and very easy to drink (especially after some of the big beers I’ve had lately) if unremarkable. The body seemed a little light and watery to me.

If this beer sold for somewhere in the range of $6-$8 for a six-pack then I might buy more and enjoy it as a session beer. But I believe I paid $3.99 for a 22 oz. bomber so if my math is correct that puts the price at somewhere around $13/six-pack, which is way too much for this beer. I know bombers sell at a premium, but even a price of $10/6-pack would be too much for me.

My rating: 3 out of 5
Beer Advocate page: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/19190/51686

Dan Hounshell : http://danhounshell.com
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Review Submitted By: Dan Hounshell

The Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Bock was the first beer we opened for New Years eve 2010 and it was a damn good choice.

It is a beautiful roasted brown bock and was quite enjoyable (even by the MGD 64 crowd).

I am guessing it won’t be around for long, so if you have the opportunity, grab one ASAP.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Find more of my beer recommendations on Pintely.

Review Submitted By: Scott Watermasysk

I bought a bottle Hop Rod Rye a year ago from a local place that I did not expect to have beer like this on the shelf. My guess is that it sat there for a looooong time before I came along because it was horrible.

Luckily I believe in second chances and I picked up another bottle of Bear Republic’s Hop Rod Rye a few weeks ago from a more respectable shop. I must say that I am really glad that I gave this beer a second chance – it is awesome! It smells and tastes much like a very nicely hopped IPA, but the difference is that 17% of the malts are made up of rye. I think it is a nice little twist and definitely worth your time.

8.0 ABV, bottle conditioned
Beer Advocate profile: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/610/3158
Dan Hounshell : http://danhounshell.com
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Review Submitted By: Dan Hounshell

This is the first time I tried this Ohio brewed beer and I have to say that I am very impressed.

It has a perfect IPA aroma, the first smell pulls you right in. And it tastes just like it smells – I felt that it was nearly dead-on for the IPA style.

6.8 ABV
Beer Advocate page: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1837/5243
My Rating: 4 out of 5

Give this Buckeye born Hippie IPA a try – you’ll like it.

Dan Hounshell : http://danhounshell.com
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Review Submitted By: Dan Hounshell

The first in my “Lone Star State” series…As I’m going to be leaving Texas behind in a few weeks, I’m focusing my next few reviews on Texas beers while they’re still easily available to me.

Tonight I’m having a Fireman’s #4 Blonde Ale from the Real Ale brewing company in Austin, Texas.  Fireman 4 isn’t really a winter drink as it’s a lightweight, low alcohol beer perfectly suited for quenching the thirst caused by a hot Texas summer, but it’s also my favorite Real Ale brew.   It’s malty, starting with a hint of sweetness and is easy drinking and refreshing, not a sipping beer.

I’d give it a 3.2 out of 5.

Just to make sure that I thought what I tasted, I sampled five other brews the same evening. Brewed from the mountains of Lake Placid, NY, and named after a cute pup, Ubu is full of flavor. However, if you’re used to the mainstream brews across the United States such as Budweiser, Coors, or Miller, this beer isn’t for you.

The dark beer can easily be poured into a glass with a nice head. When I first poured it, the look had a slight resemblance of a Guinness draft. This definitely peaked my tastes and I’d rate this a 9 out of 10. In Northeastern Pennsylvania, you can find a case of this delicious ale at around $35 for 24 bottles.

Review Submitted By: Jason Gaylord

As I mentioned in a previous post, I received a subscription to the Beer of the Month Club from Clubs of America (http://www.greatclubs.com/beerofthemonthclub/). The other brewery that was shipped in my first shipment was from the Woodstock Inn Brewery in North Woodstock, New Hampshire.

Their first brew I tried was the Red Rack Ale. Wow. What a brew that’s rich in flavor. It pairs quite well with winter appetizers and is something that you can drink all night. I’d rate this an 8 out of 10.

Next I dried their Pemi Pale Ale. Personally, I thought this was a light bear. I know it’s a pale ale, but it was too pale for my liking. Some may even call it a “premi-“ pale ale as it seemingly needed to be brewed longer. I’d rate this a 6 out of 10.

Review Submitted By: Jason Gaylord

So, as one of my Christmas presents this year, my wife purchased a micro-brew subscription. It’s not too bad and the price wasn’t that bad either. Anyway, in the first shipment, I received two brews from the Boulder Beer Company from Boulder, Colorado.

Of the two, I prefer the Never Summer Ale. It’s a bolder ale with lots of flavor. It’s dark red in color. Its label agrees and says it’s brewed with dark caramel malt. I’d rate this selection as an 8 out of 10.

Their other brew I received is Flashback. I thought it had a burnt taste to it. Watching college football, it didn’t seem to pair well with any of the appetizers that I had served. With each taste, it seemed to be missing the flavor you’d expect from an ale. Plus, the label and logo just wasn’t as cool as the Never Summer Ale. I’d rate this selection as 5 out of 10.

I’d be interested to try other seasonal and regular brews from the Boulder Beer Company. Overall I think that they have promise.

Review Submitted By: Jason Gaylord

Another great dark red/brown beer, but this time by the fine folks at Victory.

It tasted a little less roasted and less hoppy than the Great Divide Hiberational Ale I wrote about previously, but it is still an exceptional beer if this is your style (Dopplebock).

4.2 out of 5 stars.

Review Submitted By: Scott Watermasysk